4go 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
^JuNE ro, 1899. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST 
Chicago Fly Casting Cltib. 
Chicago, III., June 3.— There is in progress to- day at 
Bass Lake, Ind., a little outing party of the Chicago Fly- 
Casting Club, who are this time out after bass. At this 
writing returns are, of course, not available, but, the 
prospects may perhaps be determined from the following 
letter of invitation : 
"At the contest held May 27 it was decided to have 
a fishing excursion to Eass Lake, Ind., Saturday, June 3. 
We leave Dearborn Station, Erie Railroad, 3 P. M.. ar- 
riving at lake 5: 16. Boats and guides will be in attendance 
and the evening can be devoted to fishing. We can return 
Sunday evening, or, by taking 5 o'clock train, arrive in 
Chicago Mondaj' morning at 7. Railroad fare, round 
trip, $2.25. Brother Braybrook has offered a hotel rate 
of $1 per day for this occasion. He will also furnish 
guides for Saturday afternoon and Sundaj- all day at $2. 
Bass Lake is two and a half miles wide by live and a half 
nriles long, and conceded to be one of the best lakes within 
that distance of Chicago. To the occupants of the boat 
(two fishermen) catching the greatest number or pounds 
(to be decided by the vote of those in attendance) have 
been donated, and will be given, two silver flasks, also a 
handsome sterling match case has been donated as the 
booby prize. Please notify secretary by Friday noon if 
you will join us. Be sure to come and invite your friends. 
"Fraternally yours, 
"Itha H. Bellows, Pres. 
"Geo. a. Murrell, Sec'y-Treas."' 
Western Waters, 
Our Western trout season is now on in full swing, and 
those parties who have gone oitt to-day either to Wiscon- 
sin or Michigan ought to have the best of success. June 
is the month of mosquitoes and fish. We go out fishing a 
great deal in May, but the weather is so variable that a 
good many trips are water hauls. June is the anglers' 
month. 
It is now permissible to catch bass in Wisconsin, and I 
should think that the present warm weather would set the 
bass moving in great shape. Indeed, numbers of good 
catches have been made, mostly of big-mouth bass, in the 
Fox Lake chain and the lakes of lower Wisconsin. 
T have word that the Grand River and the Kalamazoo 
River of Michigan are now getting about prime for bass. 
Do not forget the Thornapple River of Michigan, also, 
which has bass and also trout, a combination which is not 
often found. 
Mr. W. P. Nelson, of the American Wall Paper Com- 
pany, Chicago, is a gentleman who has been chained 
to business too much and too long. Finding himself 
breaking down from the .strain, he resorted to travel, and 
has spent much time abroad. Recently no less a specialist 
that Dr. S. Weir Mitchell told him that he Avas making 
too hard work out of traveling, and would not be bene- 
fited by it. "Go to some far-off country, where you will 
have to wear a flannel shirt," said Dr. Mitchell, "and just 
loaf and take it easy. You'll get all right then." Mr. 
Nelson having consulted one great specialist, concluded 
he would trj' another, so he came in to see me the other 
day. I have sent him to a place in Wisconsin where the 
foot of man never trod, and where he will probably get 
lost and not be heard of for six months or so. If he ever 
comes back I may report on his case further. What differ- 
ence does it make how much wall paper you have, if you 
do not have your health? 
'Lange Coootry, 
Messrs. H. L. Stanton and Frank Willard, with their 
wive.s, will leave next Friday for their annual muscallunge 
trip to Squirrel Lake, Wis. Col. J. S. Cooper is now, or 
should be, in the wilds of Minnesota pursuing his favor- 
ite sport. Mr. Oswald von Lengerke visits Kabbekona 
Camp country, Minnesota, within the fortnight. The mus- 
callunge season should be at its height within the next ten 
days. This has been a very late season for all sorts of 
fish. I , , 
■Wanderers. 
Mr. R. B. Organ, of this city, who is connected Avith the 
freight department of the Nickel Plate road, is at large 
somewhere in the West, among the big wool ranches. He 
visits Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon and 
Washington, and will not be back to Chicago until about 
the first of July. If he lias any time free from business 
he ought to have some sport of some sort or another in 
the country which he touches. 
Mr. T. A. Divine, of Memphis, Tenn., paid a flying 
visit to this city last week, and called upon a few of 
his numerous friends here. 
Mr. Charles Cristadoro, of St. Paul, Minn., paid the 
Forest and Stream office a call during a hurried stay in 
this city June r. Mr. Cristadoro continues his interest in 
the National Park proposition, to which attention has been 
called earlier in these columns. 
The "Saginaw Crowd," including Mr. W. B. Mershon 
and a lot of his near angling friends, left Saginaw, Mich., 
yesterday for a trouting trip. It would have been a 
liberal education to join the party had that been possible 
in accordance with the kind invitation. 
Dangers to Michigan Trout. 
There is a dangerous measure up in the Michigan Legis- 
lature, which takes Up the very old and dangerous ques- 
tion of the m.arketing of trout caught in private ponds, 
No thinking m^an needs to have it explained to him jus) 
why this is a dangerous m.easure. We have the same 
thing here in Chicago when we allow grouse from one 
State to be marketed while our own grouse cannot be 
sold. How can you tell them apart? The answer is. You 
can't. These are the good words which a Saginaw news- 
paper has to say about this pernacious trout bill : 
"Senate bill 371, A. G. Smith, allowing the sale of 
trout caught in private ponds, which has just been passed 
by the Senate and has gone to the House, ought to be 
killed. The measure will act simply as 'a loophole whereby 
the effect of the present fish law will be completely coun- 
teracted. It will give the opportunity to hundreds of dis- 
honest people, who await eagerly ever}- possible oppor- 
tunity to escape the actios of the lav, in order to fill thei'- 
purses by dealing in fish protected as to makfe it ir\ 
great demand. Should this bill be passed it would simply 
result in the "wild trout" being seined, dynamited or 
.speared in such quantities that, within five years, there 
would not be a stream in Michigan where a trout could 
be found. Upon reliable information, the News has 
learned that not long ago the game warden suspected that 
a regular shipment of frogs to the Chicago market was 
not entirely right. As a result he opened one of the 
boxes and found it filled with trout which had been ille- 
gally killed by dynamite, spear or seine. If this bill is 
passed it will not only mean the complete annihilation of 
the trout in private ponds, but the throwing down of all 
barriel'S in trout streams by making detection and con- 
viction of a violation of the fish law simpl3'^ out of the 
qitestion. All methods known would be tised to secure 
the fish, and shipment after shipment of trout would be 
made to the markets; but the shippers would lay claim 
to having caught the fish in private ponds, and the game 
warden would be powerless to act. There are now enough 
pirates continually violating, the game and fish laws who 
escape detection, hut with such a provision as this, which 
they could use as a cloak to their methods, the streams of 
the State would be thrown open to such a rapacious on- 
slaught, by those having only a pecuniary interest in the 
fish, that absolute devastation of the trout streams would 
result in a very short time. If there is any vl^lue what- 
ever in the laws protecting fish and game, and it is ad- 
mittedly a fact that the measures haA'e provided most effi- 
cacious, this bill should be killed." 
Chiefly by Hunting and Fishing. 
On the lake front of Chicago, there is a long pier known 
aS' the Twelfth Street Pier, which runs out into the lake 
nearly a mile, which is sometimes A'isited by fishermen who 
angle for perch, but which is a little frequented sort of 
place, and .sometimes is not entirely safe dnring a heavy 
storm. Far out at the end of this pier, with a dry goods 
box for a house, two ten-year-old boys, Dan Stewart and 
Albert Whitney, have been living for a week. They ran 
away from home, and have been, I presume, for the past 
few days, about the happiest boys in the world in this 
reversion to savagery. They had nothing to eat but fish, 
but when taken away by force from their singular camp 
declared that they had caught all the fish they wanted, 
were fond of the diet, and did not, want to go home. It 
seems too bad to try to civilize these little heathen near at 
home, -who are only doing what a. good many of us would 
like to do one waj' or another; which is to say, to live 
chiefly by hunting and fishing, as the geography used to 
say when we were boys and read about the Indians. 
E. Hough. 
480 Caxton Buildikg, Chicago, 111. 
The First Tuna. 
Santa Catalina Island, Avalon, Cal., May 25. — Editor 
Forest and Stream: The first tuna of the season, weigh- 
ing 961bs., was caught to-day by Prof. C. F. Holder, of 
Pasadena (who has also caught the heaviest tuna on 
record). This of to-day was taken on rod and reel with 
2i-thread cuttyhunk line. ICelpie, 
Avalon, May 28. — ^The enclosed clipping is from the Los 
Angeles Times of May 27. Kelpie. 
Leaping tunas have "towed boats twenty miles and worn 
.strong men out, jumped over boats and performed all 
kinds of tricks, but it remained for one to tip over a boat 
to-day and involve two members of the Tuna Club, C. v. 
Holder, president of the club, and Mr. Townsend. of 
Philadelphia, and Jim Gardner, boatman, in what might 
have been a tragedy. Mr. Townsend and Mr. Holder 
went out in Gardner's boat towed by his new launch, the 
Minnehaha, in charge of Mr. Bassett and son, of Pasa- 
dena, and Mrs. Gardner as spectator. They went early 
and were trying for the prizes of the Tuna Club, which 
are two handsome silver-mounted rods for the first fish 
of the season. They found the fish at Long Point. Mr. 
-Townsend got the first strike and lost his fish. A few 
seconds later a tuna went into the air and was hooked by 
Mr. Holder, who brought it to gaff in a little over half an 
hour, after a hard fight, in which the boat was towed stern 
first about tAvo miles, the launch standing by or following 
when the fish Avas gaffed and hauled into the boat, and 
just as the anglers were raising a cheer it made a tremen- 
dous leap and tipped the boat over. Gardner hu:ng onto 
the fish, that was struggling violently, and they hailed 
the launch, which was some way off, all being a mfle or 
more from shore. The boat sank at once under them, the 
stern, on which Mr. Holder sat, going down first and 
completely leaving him afloat ; Gardner, the struggling 
tuna, Mr. Townsend, oars and gaffs sliding doAvn toAvard 
him, the boat noAV standing on end. It Avas evident the 
skiff Avould not hold them all, so Mr. Holder, to lighten 
it, started to SAvim to the launch and finally reached it, but 
was so weighted doAvn by a heaA^y fishing suit that for some 
time Mr. Bassett could not haul him in. By this time 
Gardner had found that the sunken boat would not sup- 
port even two, and to give Mr. Townsend a better 
chance, who did not care to undertake the swim, and 
Avho, it was afterward found, was Avound up in the wire 
leader, started for the launch, swimming Avith one hand 
and holding onto the struggling tuna Avith the other, the 
gaff still holding. A m.orc plucky swim Avas never made 
anywhere. Jim was bound to save the tuna if he died for 
it, and despite the screams of Mrs. Jim to let the fish go 
he SAvam on. the tuna cartjnng him completely under 
water three times, but CA^ery tim^e Jim came up with the 
fish, and finally he caught a rope and reached the propeller. 
Mr. Holder and Mr. Bassett got a hold on the fish and 
hauled it in, and finally got Jim in. All this time Mr. 
Townsend was lying coolly on the bottom of the over- 
turned boat, watching the proceedings and refusing to 
allow them to help him until they had landed the fish. 
Finally the launch was run near the boat and a rope was 
throAvn him and he was hauled in. When Mr. Gardner 
was hauled in, Mr. Holder's hook was in his leg. and the 
rod and reel 6ooft. down at the bottom of the bay, but it 
was saved b}' hauling in the line. The launch came in 
amid great excitement, and every hoat is out tutia fishing 
to-day. the fish never biting so readily, 
Fred Scott Gerrlsh successfnlli- landed tlje sieeoild t|ina ' 
of the 3£3.iOn last night, after h ifiost ^■S'cititt^ battlf It. 
tipped the srslf^; p.r OTlbs ' --' _ 
Stanley Bates played a monster for an hour and forty 
minutes, being towed tAvelve miles to sea, but unfortunate • 
ly losing the fish, the hook tearing out part of its jaw. 
In Long Island Waters, 
A Night with the Turtles. 
East Rockaavay, L. L, Jime 5. — A party of men in 
rough fishing clothes got off the Long Beach train the 
other night and were at once recognized as the turtle 
catchers who make an annual visit to the ponds and 
creeks in this vicinity. They went to the East RockaAvay 
House, and under the guidance of LockAVOod Pearsafl got 
boats and proceeded to set their lines for the night's 
work. The hooks were attached by snells or short lines 
to larger lines or small ropes, and the hooks were baited 
and placed in position. The lines were tended during the 
night and examined at intervals. In the morning, before 
the arriA^al of the early train for the city, the lines were 
hauled ashore and the night's catch placed in heavy bags , 
provided for the purpose. The total result of the night's 
Avork Avas six turtles, ranging from 18 to 3olbs. in weight. 
It Avas estimated that the total catch exceeded i5olbs. 
Weakfish Running. 
Inner Beach, L. I., June 5. — Fishermen have had rather 
hard luck. During the early spring fish have not been as 
plentiful as usual, owing doubtless to the cold weather. 
During the last few days, however, weakfish have arrived 
in large numbers, and are now caught by the dozens. One 
party took fifty-three in less than an hour. B. Moldor has 
Isuilt an addition to his place, and has increased the at- 
tractions of Queens Water and Inner Beach by new board 
Avalks, ncAv rowboats and a large auxiliary yacht, sloop 
rigged, with steam power if required. Queens Water 
may noAv be reached by bicj'cle Avithin a couple of hour.'i' 
run from the city, or frequent trains are run on the Long 
Beach branch of the L. I. Railroad. From Wreck Lead 
or Queens Water Station yachts may be had to go out- 
side the Inlet to the fishing banks, wreck of the Iberia or 
other famous ocean resorts, or small boats for channel 
and bay fishing. The latter seems to be the favorite 
method of fishing, probably because it is less expensive; 
but the large catches of fish are usually made from the 
yachts in the ocean. 
Scarcity of Blackfish. 
Wreck Lead, L. T., June 5. — Yesterday was a great day 
for fishing. The air was perfectly clear, and there was 
just wind enough to agitate the surface of the water 
Avithout kicking up sea enough to be unpleasant — just a 
nice full sail breeze. A large number of fishermen came 
doAvn ; some Avent outside to the fishing banks, wreck of the 
Iberia, etc., Avhile others took small boats and went for 
Aveakfish in the bay. Returning parties reported a good 
day's fishing, although flounders in many cases made up 
the bulk of the catch. A peculiar feature of this year's 
fishing is the absence of blackfish — the tautog of New 
England. Even around the wreck of the Iberia, one of 
the most famous fishing spots on the coast for blackfish, 
scarcely any have been caught this year. Weakfish are 
very plentiful; one party caught sixty-five fish in fifty 
minutes. One of the bluefishing parties caught 104 fish in 
one forenoon. 
Newfottnd Lake. 
Newfound Lake, Bristol, N. H. — The fishing here has 
not held out so well as the opening of the season seemed . 
to indicate. But few trout have been taken lately. It 
seems as if the trout fishing gets poorer each year. Sal- 
mon have been taken out in fair numbers ; one hooked and 
netted by one of our local fishermen- — estimated weight - 
I2lbs.^ — gleefully .slipped back into the lake from the hands 
of the astonished fisherman, on account of his using a 
defective net. 
About four ye^TS-ago a screen Avas placed at the outlet 
of this lake to preA^ent salmon and other fish passing doAvn 
the river and thus being lost to the lake. The screen 
also is a direct stop to dead or maimed fish that float down 
the lake, as in the fall, after the trout and salmon have 
heen artificially stripped of their spawn, they are frequent- 
ly found there and taken out. This has now been stopped 
by the Fish Commissioners, who prohibit the taking out 
ot dead or maimed fish, or live fish of any kind, minnows, 
perch, etc. The other day a man saw a maimed salmon 
lying lengthwise against the screen, and instead of hook- 
ing it out with single hook and line he inadvertently used 
a line Avith three hooks on it. The Commissioners heard 
of it, asked him about it, and he said he hooked out a dis- 
abled fish. They charged him $10 for his role of public 
health benefactor. They then posted a notice prohibiting 
for three years fishing of about an acre or more near 
the screen. Why? That is Avhat the men and women of 
that locality are asking of' the Commissioners. Why try 
to punish a number if one man did commit the offense of 
using two hooks more on a disabled salmon than the law 
allows? As the Governor of this State in his Fast Day 
proclamation deplored the drifting into spiritual darkness 
of the inhabitants of the rural districts, the inhabitants 
of one rural district deeply deplore the drifting into 
worldly darkness of the Governor's Fish Commissioners, 
and hope more light be given them. 
Landlocked Salmon House. 
. Gtand Lake Stfeam. 
.Grand Lake Stream, Me., May 24. — Salmon fi.shmg is 
not as good as usual, small fish, 37^1bs., being the largest 
so far. It is thought the stripping of fish for breeding is 
the cause. Plenty of small ones. Weather fine. No flies, 
Pink Edge. 
Lake Geneva. 
Lake Geneva, Wis. — ^A report comes dated Jung t: 
The ci^co flies have put in an appearance at Lake Geneva. 
It will be all right to tell the fishermen that the cisco 
fishing at Lake Geneva Avill be excellent for next ten day>. 
fhe TfOKESf AND Stream is put to press e^ch weeir oti Tursiay. 
Correspondence intended for publication should irtach us- 
